March 3, 2020
My name is Alice Wagner. I am a Human Services (SAHE) major on campus. I also happen to be non-binary. The reason I am writing is to bring attention to a project that has not received the attention it deserves from the folks that matter: the expansion of the Multicultural Office for Student Access, Inclusiveness, and Community (MOSAIC). I am not speaking on the behalf of the professional staff, but rather from my own point of view as a student. This office offers services and collaborates with a great number of student populations and organizations, including Trans* Student Union, Black Student Union, Spectrum and Women’s Student Association, just to name a few.
The office space given to MOSAIC is too small to allow for more than 8-9 people (not including staff/student workers) to utilize the space at any given point in time, but many of these groups are much larger and are unable to host their meetings in this safe space. I heard of many petitions going around from a few student organizations, but nothing has come of them. There has been talk of giving the Copy Center to MOSAIC once they move, but I have heard nothing of that either for months.
The purpose of this is to ask my fellow students to petition the Chancellor to give over some space to these amazing folks. Real change does not occur unless enough people are willing to act. The support that this office brings to coordinating meaningful events on this campus — as well as the support to all marginalized groups on this campus — is justification enough for the university to provide them with a more adequate work environment.